Leila, the Perfect Witch

April 15, 2022
A young witch finds perfection in letting go of expectations and enjoying the moment. Leila is extraordinary and excels at all sorts of witchy endeavors. She's the fastest flyer, most cunning conjurer, and craftiest carver in her coven. Her bedroom teems with trophies, but her big dream is to win The Magnificent Witchy Cake-Off. Baking is a family legacy, and Leila has high hopes for success. Contrary to her previous ventures, mastering the "Dark Arts of Patisserie" is a skill that evades Leila. Worried that she'll disappoint her family, she forgoes fun times with her sisters and instead focuses on making the perfect pastry. After her attempts fail, she accepts help from her sisters and enjoys the time they spend together. The competition tests Leila, and although the outcome isn't what she hoped for, she realizes that sharing the experience with her family and having their support are even more important wins. Loaded with visual humor and quirky details, this whimsical tale charms and delights. Leila, her frog friends, and her family are comically illustrated with quarter-moon eyes and expressive faces. Eagle-eyed readers will spot Gustavo, the shy ghost protagonist from Drago's previous picture book, and cultural images associated with Mexico's Day of the Dead holiday, like La Catrina, calaveras, and pumpkins carved with papel picado-like designs. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A picture book about the gifts of imperfection that casts a sweet and satisfying spell. (Picture book. 4-9)

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June 3, 2022

PreS-Gr 1-Hardly more than a bit player in Gustavo the Shy Ghost, here Leila stars. Feeling that her many trophies are not enough, she aims to ace baking for the "most important" prize, even at the cost of family fun. But when disaster dogs her practice, her sisters come through, coach her, and advocate trying again. Their support sends her confidently to the competition-and when she loses, Leila gracefully concludes that having fun makes her feel like a winner. With her magenta hair, greenish skin, and buck teeth, Leila might not be quite as cute as Gustavo (who can be spotted in the bake-off audience), but the pale blue-and-violet-toned illustrations are just as detail-filled and amusing (as in Gustavo, there are depictions of pentagrams, skulls, a "devilish" goat, etc.). A few words ("alchemy," conjurer," "coven," "patisserie") will challenge readers, but the pro-family, anti-perfectionist message is upbeat and engaging. VERDICT Another Drago book destined for wide circulation, not only at Halloween.-Patricia Lothrop

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2022
Preschool-Grade 2 Mexican author-illustrator Drago brings her distinct, charmingly macabre style to a sweet new picture book that pairs perfectly with her earlier work, Gustavo, the Shy Ghost (2020). Leila is a talented young witch who excels in flying, conjuring, shapeshifting, and crafting and has a bookcase packed with trophies. But Leila hasn't yet won the trophy she covets most: that of the Magnificent Witchy Cake-Off. Finally old enough to compete, Leila is determined to make her family ("experts in the Dark Arts of Patisserie") proud. Despite her lineage, the little witch quickly discovers that she is not a natural in the kitchen. After one cake attempt goes spectacularly wrong, Leila's family comes to the rescue and teaches her their baking tricks. When the day of the cake-off arrives, Leila doesn't win, but she has a good showing and lots of fun in the process, which is just as important for kids to see. Purples and greens prevail in the childlike but cleverly detailed illustrations. An upbeat story of persistence and taking pleasure in doing your best.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 22, 2022
Author-illustrator Drago mixes a dash of family support with a measure of witchy worldbuilding in this tasty tale about a young witch developing grit. Though she’s the fastest flier, most cunning conjurer, and sneakiest shape-shifter in her coven, green-skinned Leila Wayward has her heart set on winning “the most important trophy of all” as champion of the Magnificent Witchy Cake-Off. She comes from “a long line of... experts in the Dark Arts of Patisserie,” but the proof is in her disastrous first batter: Leila lacks ace baking skills. An assist from her sisters, portrayed with varying skin tones, proves the perfect recipe for dealing with the Cake-Off, no matter how things turn out. In colored pencil textures, multimedia illustrations are filled with witch-centric detail, including clever nods to fairy tale fodder. Ages 3–7.

September 1, 2022
"Far and wide, Leila Wayward was known for being an extraordinary little witch." But despite her desire to win the Magnificent Witchy Cake-Off, Leila can't seem to master the Dark Arts of Patisserie like the other Wayward women. When she accepts help, tips, and tricks from her three older sisters, Leila is finally ready to compete...and has learned that having fun makes her feel like a winner no matter what. Drago's colorful mixed-media illustrations are full of interesting and funny details that complement her playful story, from the pictures on the front endpapers introducing her family to the decor in their gingerbread house to the not-so-scary creatures that inhabit Leila's witchy world. Concurrently published in Spanish as Leila, la bruhita perfecta. Cynthia K. Ritter

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2022
"Far and wide, Leila Wayward was known for being an extraordinary little witch." But despite her desire to win the Magnificent Witchy Cake-Off, Leila can't seem to master the Dark Arts of Patisserie like the other Wayward women. When she accepts help, tips, and tricks from her three older sisters, Leila is finally ready to compete...and has learned that having fun makes her feel like a winner no matter what. Drago's colorful mixed-media illustrations are full of interesting and funny details that complement her playful story, from the pictures on the front endpapers introducing her family to the decor in their gingerbread house to the not-so-scary creatures that inhabit Leila's witchy world. Concurrently published in Spanish as Leila, la bruhita perfecta.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)